Va-Va-Voom! A Lesson in Loving Your Curves

America Ferrera. Christina Hendricks. Beyonce. What do these ladies have in common? They love their curves! We’ve spotlighted some of our favorite curvy celebs. These curvaceous ladies emulate self-pride in their bodies and are women we should look up to.

Sometimes it’s hard to love our bodies. We’re bombarded every day with stick figure mannequins and supermodels, and it doesn’t help that Kate Moss weighs little more than a loaf of bread. Okay, so maybe I exaggerated, but it can feel like that, can’t it? Well, we’ve rounded up some of the curviest celebs who aren’t afraid of strutting their stuff in Hollywood. Hopefully, they can give you a little reality check when it comes to body image, and it just might make you feel a whole lot better about the skin you’re in.

Dita Von Teese

Burlesque beauty Dita Von Teese says she knew she grew up admiring curvaceous actresses on TV. And this pin-up perfect performer has never been ashamed of her full figure.

“When I was little, I remember watching Jayne Mansfield in ‘The Girl Can’t Help It’ and making a promise that when I grew up I was going to have curves like that: the cinched-in waist, the big bust and those ample hips that just popped off the screen.”

Christina Hendricks

America’s gone mad for the 35-year-old Mad Men star Christina Hendricks and her to-die-for hourglass figure. She was crowned as the Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire, an ultimate honor for any celebrity.

“Sure, I’d be happier with 10 pounds off — wouldn’t every woman? But when I looked at pictures of myself at the Emmys, I thought I looked beautiful. I didn’t tear myself apart.”

Beyonce

She taught us to be “bootylicious” and Queen B has always kept herself in bootylicious shape over the years.

“I always say, ‘I don’t want to lose my curves.’ I like firm curves. You can never do enough squats, you can never do enough sit-ups. I like for women to look feminine.”

America Ferrera

We might know her as Ugly Betty, but in reality America Ferrera is anything but. The 26-year-old actress first gained notice in the 2002 film Real Women Have Curves and since then, she’s always promoted healthy body image for women.

“You have to build a normal relationship with exercise and food. For me it’s not about looking like a supermodel — it’s about feeling good about who I am naturally.”

Marilyn Monroe

If you’ve ever felt insecure about being anything above a super model skinny size of 0 or 2, you might be shocked to hear that Marilyn Monroe, Hollywood’s ultimate sex symbol, was a dress size 14. And she loved it.

“I’m very definitely a woman and I enjoy it.”

Sofia Vergara

Modern Family’s bombshell Sofia Vergara says she didn’t always appreciate her curves, but that changed when she turned 18. She’s been a big promoter of women loving their bodies and she just launched her new clothing line, Sophia at Kmart, specifically designed for curvy women.

“I’m grateful I have them, and honestly, they’ve helped me a lot in my career. And I’ve always felt sexy.”

Kim Kardashian

This Kardashian sister has never been afraid to show off her curvy assets in skin-tight dresses and high-waisted jeans.

“I love my body the way it is. I’m not perfect. I have cellulite — so what.”

Shakira

This Colombian beauty’s hips don’t lie and she’s never been afraid to shake her booty on stage.

“Earlier I tried not to show my stomach, because I thought it wasn’t perfect and I would have seemed fat. I would have died! But that does not bother me anymore. Like my dad says, there is nothing more beautiful than some meat on the bones.”

Lacey Shwimmer

The 23-year-old dancer from Dancing With the Stars has always been ridiculed for her weight. Lacey battled with an eating disorder for years as a teenage aspiring dancer facing criticisms about her body. Now a healthy size 4, Lacey refuses to cover her body in shame, even after the “mom jeans” scandal.

“I have boobs, I have a huge butt and I have a lot of muscle. I like having curves — I’m proud of them!”

Queen Latifah

Everything about Queen Latifah is big: her talent, her confidence, and her curves. This Grammy award-winning musician and Golden Globe winning actress has never been about hiding her body.

“I just had to grow to love my body. I’m either going to love me or hate me. And I chose to love myself.”

Mo’Nique

Comedian and critically acclaimed actress Mo’Nique has always called herself “fat and fabulous,” but lately she’s been making the effort to be healthy, too. She shed 40 pounds naturally and knows she still has a way to go in her goal weight, but she’s not letting anyone affect her.

“Let’s be healthy big people. Everybody can’t be a size 0, but let’s be healthy.”